Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-09-07
INGERSOLL ON SOCIALISM,.


In the North American Review Rob-
ert q. IngersolI has sound article on
socialism. lie says:
Some of the best and puTest of our
race have advocated what is known as
socialism. They have not only taught,
but, what is more to the purpose, have
believed that nation should be fam
lily; that the government should take
care of all the children; that it should
provide work, and food, and clothing
and education for all, and that it
should divide the results of all labor
equitable with all.
Seeing the inequalities among men,
knowing Of the restitution and crime,
these men were willing to sacrifice not
only their own liberties but the liber-
ties of all.
socialism seems TO be one of the
worst forms of slavery. Nothing, in
my judgment, would soutterly paralyze
all the forces, all the splendid ambition
and aspirations that now tend to the
civilization of man. In ordinary sys-
TENS of slavery there are some masters,
few are supposed to be free; but in
socialistic state all. would be slaves.
"If the government is to provide work
it must decide for the worker what he
must do. 1t must say who shall chisel
statues, who shall paint pictures, who
shall compose music, and who shall
practice the professions. Is any gov
eminent, or can any government be,
capable OF intelligently performing
these countless duties? 1t must not
only control work, il must not only de-
eide what each shall do, but it must
control expenses, because expenses
bear a direct relation TO products.
Therefore, the government must decide
what the worker shall eat. and where
withall he shall be clothed; the kind of
house in which he shall live, the man.
ner in which it shall be furnished, and,
il this government furnishes the work
it must decide on the days or hours of
leisure; more than this, it must fix
values, it must decide not only who
shall sell but who shall buy, and the
price that must be paid-and it must
fix this value not simply upon the labor,
but upon everything that can be pro-
duced, that can be exchanged or sold.
us it possible to conceive of a des-
potism beyond this? The present con-
dition of the world is bad enough. with
its poverty and ignorance, but it is far
better than it could by any possibility
be under any government like the one
described. There would be less hunger
of the body, but not of the mind. Each
man would simply be a citizen of a
large penitentiary, and, as in every
well regulated prison, somebody would
decide what each should do. The in
mates of prison retire early; they rise
With the sun; they have something to
eat; they are not dissipated; they have
clothes; attend divine services; they
have but little to say about their neigh
bOrS; they do not suffer from cold;
their habits are excellent; and yet no
one envies their condition. Socialism
destroys the family. The children be-
long to the state. Certain officers take
the place of parents. individuality is
lost.
The human race can not afford to
exchange its liberty for any possible
comfort. You remember the old fable
of the fat dog that met the lean wolf in
the forest. The wolf astonished to see
so prosperous an animal, enquired of
the dog where he got his food, and the
dog told him that there was man who
took care of him, gave him his break
fast, his dinner and his supper with the
utmost regularity, and that he had all
he could eat and very little to do. The
wolf said: do you think this man
would treat me as he does you?' The
dog replied: Yes; come along with
me- So they logged on together to-
ward the dogs home. On the way the
way the wolf happened to notice that
some hair was worn Off the dogs neck,
and he said: How did the hair become
wornp That is said the dog, the
mark of my collar; my master ties me
at night OH said the wolf, are you
chainedp are you deprived of your lib
ertyp l believe will go back; prefer
hunger.'"